LABUAN – The Labuan Fisheries Department today confirmed that water samples taken from Labuan waters following the red tide phenomenon in Sabah are free from Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum (dinoflagellates), which is harmful to humans.
Its director Faizal Ibrahim Suhaili said tests were conducted on samples taken from around Batu Manikar, Tg Aru, and Lubok Temiang.
He said the department had been monitoring the situation since the red tide was detected on February 16 around Kota Kinabalu and Tuaran waters in Sabah.
Monitoring and evaluation were also conducted on water samples taken from the Tg Kubong and Rancha-Rancha areas.
“As far as we are concerned, we have done our level best to monitor the situation but the public must continue to take extra precautions by thoroughly cleaning seafood before cooking and consuming them.
The Sabah Fisheries Department on February 18 issued a red tide explosion warning notice following the discovery of red tide algae in several coastal waters around Kota Kinabalu and Tuaran.
Red tide cases have been reported in Labuan in 2015 involving two women in Kg Sg Miri, aged 59 and 36, who were given outpatient treatment at Labuan Hospital after they were diagnosed with paralytic shellfish poisoning.
Red tides are harmful algal blooms that occur along coastal regions, and they result from large accumulation of aquatic microorganisms, such as protozoans and unicellular algae.
These toxins can kill fish, make shellfish dangerous to eat, and make the surrounding air difficult to breathe for humans and animals. – Bernama, February 24, 2023
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